(Leviticus 19:13) ‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning.
(Leviticus 19:35-36) ‘You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity. 36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin; I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt.'
(Leviticus 25:14-17) If you make a sale, moreover, to your friend or buy from your friend’s hand, you shall not wrong one another. 15 Corresponding to the number of years after the jubilee, you shall buy from your friend; he is to sell to you according to the number of years of crops. 16 In proportion to the extent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years you shall diminish its price, for it is a number of crops he is selling to you. 17 So you shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the Lord your God.'
(Leviticus 25:35-40) ‘Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. 36 Do not take usurious interest from him, but revere your God, that your countryman may live with you. 37 You shall not give him your silver at interest, nor your food for gain. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
39 ‘If a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service. 40 He shall be with you as a hired man, as if he were a sojourner; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee.'
(Deuteronomy 25:13-16) “You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a large and a small. 14 You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. 15 You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you. 16 For everyone who does these things, everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to the Lord your God."
Reminder: "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will. When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!
It is God's will:
- that we do not lie (Lv.19:11)
- that we do not cheat (Lv.19:11, 19:35-36)
- that we do not steal (Lv.19:11, 19:13, 19:35-36)
- that we do not withhold payment from those who have worked (Lv.19:13)
- that we are fair in judgments (Lv.19:35)
- that we are fair in business dealings (Lv.19:36, 25:14-17)
- that in business, we treat each other fairly and with respect (Lv.25:35-40)
- that whether at home or in business, we treat each other fairly (Dt.25:13-16)
Today's prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, quash our greed and our desire to get ahead by using "any means necessary". Help us to always remain fair. When the cashier gives us too much change, or when the cashier forgets to ring something up, invoke us to make things right.
Keep us honest and fair when we are doing things like tax returns, or selling houses or cars... And when we make a verbal agreement with someone, help us keep our word. When we borrow something, help us remember to bring it back as soon as possible.
When "time is money" for people, help us to show up for appointments as scheduled in order to respect them and their time. When someone has done work for us, help us to pay them on time. Even when eating out, if the food wasn't up to par, help us not take it out on the waiter.
With so many different ways one could steal, cheat or lie, I ask that You keep me vigilant to my actions when dealing with people. I thank You for Your fairness towards us. Let that be my guiding inspiration. Amen.
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